Once an eminent and famous scholar who was well versed in scriptures went to an old monk and said, “I want to learn real truth of life. Please guide me.”
Old monk asked, “Who are you?”
Scholar said, “You don’t know me? I am a learned scholar in many scriptures and i have a great reputation in this city. I have learned many scripture but still couldn’t find the truth. I came to you in hope to find the truth.”
Old monk said, “You bring it in writing what you know because what you already know, needs no education. It will only profit you if we talk on matters you do not know.”
Scholar returned and started writing. He had so much knowledge that three years passed while writing all that.
After three years, scholar returned to old monk with bag filled with thousands of pages.
Seeing such big pile of pages, Monk said, “At this age, i won’t be able to read this much. Make it more concise.”
Scholar returned and started writing abstract. It took him three months.
After three months, he came back to Monk. This time he had much less pages with him but still there were hundred of pages.
Old monk said, “This is also too much. Body has become weak. Eyes have become weak that it is no even possible to read so much. Bring me it’s essence.”
Scholar went back and after seven days came back with some pages with essence of his knowledge written on it.
Old monk saw it and said, “You can see i m really old and can’t read much. When will you understand… Go make it more concise.”
Just listening to it, Scholar’s understood what monk had been trying to say. Scholar immediately went to another room and brought back a blank paper.
Seeing it old monk smiled and said, “This blank paper means that I am blank, completely empty.. Now you are qualified to know, to learn, for you have understood the very basic that you know nothing.”
Learning:
First step to Learning is – To know that you know nothing. This act requires great courage, to acknowledge oneself that – I do not know.
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